Sunday Alcohol Sales In GA

    OK... well I guess it's time I actually expressed my views on something. It seems that Senate has passed a bill that will potentially allow Georgia to join the other 47 states that already allow Sunday alcohol sales. The way I understand it, the bill would turn the decision over to local communities. It goes to Governor Nathan Deal for his signature next and he has indicated that he will sign it.
    Now what I want to hear from you all is whether you think it's the right thing to do constitutionally. I also welcome religious views but it's the constitutional implications that I'm most interested in. I believe that it's unconstitutional to BAN alcohol sales on Sunday. I'm not trying to attack anyone's religion or their right to practice which ever religion they choose (or none at all). I'm simply referring to the separation of church and state... which you may be surprised to learn (as I was) doesn't appear in any part of the actual constitution. Thomas Jefferson wrote that the 1st amendment erected a "wall of separation" between the church and the state (James Madison said it "drew a line," but it is Jefferson's term that sticks with us today). I take that to mean that the government should keep it's nose out of religion and by the same token laws should not be written based on religious views.
    Alright, now that I've thrown that out there allow me to explain. The Crusades were fought in order to spread Christianity. Right or wrong, people were tortured and killed in the name of God. The Taliban used to force people in Afghanistan to become radical Muslim. For the six years the militia ruled the country, men had to grow long beards and go to the mosque seven times a day -- or face public beatings or even jail. Women had to quit their jobs, cover their entire bodies with burqas and leave their houses only with their husbands or fathers. I'm not saying that we're headed in that direction but you can see where it ultimately leads when you allow religious groups to make and enforce laws.
    I don't want any government to tell me when, where and what I can worship. And I certainly don't want any religious group telling me how I can live. If you ban the sale of alcohol on Sunday what's next? Should we ban the sale of Playboy magazine on Sunday? It is, in fact pornography... I've spoken with people who believe smoking cigarettes is a sin but there's been no attempt to ban the sale of tobacco on Sunday. Should we make it illegal not to attend church on Sunday? The bible says to "remember the sabbath and keep it holy". How do you define "keep it holy"? The Jewish believe that pork which isn't killed in a certain way is unholy. No matter how you define it it's up to the believer to "keep it holy". Nobody should be forced by law to obey the bible. What's to keep other religious groups from forcing their beliefs upon us all?
    Now some may say it's a matter of respect but how do you legislate respect for a religious belief? Others may say this country was founded on the teachings of the bible. I don't dispute that. It's said that our founding fathers fled England to escape religious persecution. Even these very religious men who made it very clear "In God We Trust" had the foresight to see that they couldn't force others by law to obey their religion. They made that clear in the constitution as well... in the first amendment. The First Amendment (Amendment I) to the United States Constitution is part of the Bill of Rights. The amendment prohibits the making of any law "respecting an establishment of religion", impeding the free exercise of religion, infringing on the freedom of speech, infringing on the freedom of the press, interfering with the right to peaceably assemble or prohibiting the petitioning for a governmental redress of grievances. I may be kicking a hornet's nest here but I would like to hear from everyone who has an opinion on this matter. It's coming... like it or not it's coming to a vote very soon.